Thunderer Siege Tank
]] The Thunderer Siege Tank is a close-range infantry support vehicle used by the Imperial Guard that was developed to replace lost Leman Russ Demolisher tanks by using the unused chassis of Destroyer Tank Hunter tanks. While not as effective as the Leman Russ Demolisher due to its lack of secondary weaponry, the Thunderer has found its role in providing potent infantry support at close ranges against fixed targets and for limited times because of its inability to store large amounts of ammunition. The Thunder Siege Tank is produced at Forge Worlds that cannot manufacture the Heavy Laser Destroyer weapon needed for the Destroyer Tank Hunter. As the Thunderer Siege Tank is a replacement vehicle, it is not included in any known Imperial unit's official order of battle. History The Thunderer was developed as a field conversion sometime during the 38th Millennium by a Departmento Munitorum field workshop as a replacement for lost Leman Russ Demolisher tanks. Using a Destroyer Tank Hunter chassis and a spare Demolisher Cannon, the field workshop was able to quickly replace lost Leman Russ Demolisher tanks. Due to the advanced technology used in the Destroyer Tank Hunters' Heavy Laser Destroyer being very difficult to repair and costly to manufacture, there are many unused Destroyer Tank Hunter chassis that can be retrofitted with a Demolisher Cannon. After stripping out the Laser Destroyer and its capacitors and batteries and installing the Demolisher Cannon there is only room for 18 rounds, and thus the tank cannot operate for long periods of time. Armament The Thunderer Siege Tank is armed with a single forward-firing Demolisher Cannon and no other weapons. The Thunderer has extra armour added to its dorsal surface due to its need for protection from enemies who have fortified themselves within tall buildings during urban combat. The Thunderer can be upgraded with a Pintle-Mounted Heavy Stubber or a Pintle-Mounted Storm Bolter, camo-netting, Extra Armour Plating, a Hunter-Killer Missile Launcher, improved communications equipment, a minesweeper, rough terrain modifications, searchlights, track guards, and smoke launchers. Another unnamed variant of the Thunderer is known to exist, which instead of a Demolisher Cannon is equipped with a Battle Cannon or a Vanquisher Cannon, and is used by armoured regiments when they lack an adequate number of functioning Leman Russ tanks. Notable Users of the Thunderer Siege Tank *'8th Pardus Armoured Regiment' *'8th Necromundan Regiment' *'Armageddon Steel Legion' *'18th Catachan Jungle Fighters Regiment' *'21st Death Korps of Krieg Panzer Division, "Death's Head"' *'21st Palladius Armoured Regiment' *'4th Vastadt Independent Tank Regiment' - Took part in the 2nd Saint Saen Crusade *'Skitarii Mars Regiments' *'17th Tallarn Armoured Regiment' *'179th Death Korps of Krieg' - The 179th Death Korps of Krieg Regiment made extensive use of the Thunderer Siege Tank during the Siege of Vraks. Adeptus Mechanicus Technical Specifications Sources *''Imperial Armour,'' pp. 8-9, 38 *''Imperial Armour Volume One - Imperial Guard and Imperial Navy'', pp. 73-78 *''Imperial Armour Volume One - Imperial Guard'' (Second Edition), pp. 57-62, 267 *''Imperial Armour Volume Five - The Siege of Vraks - Part One'' *''Imperial Armour Volume Twelve - The Fall of Orpheus'', pp. 166-202 *''Gaunt's Ghosts Omnibus: The Saint'' (Novel) by Dan Abnett, pg. 57 Also See *'Imperial Guard Vehicles' *'Imperial Vehicles' Gallery Thunderer Siege Tank 2.png|Thunderer Siege Tank in urban combat Thunderer Siege Tank Catachan 18th Regiment.png|Thunderer Siege Tank of the 18th Catachan Jungle Fighters Regiment Thunderer Siege Tank Palladius 2nd Armoured Regiment.png|Thunderer Siege Tank of the Palladius 2nd Armoured Regiment Thunderer Siege Tank Urban Combat Zone.png|Thunderer Siege Tank and Leman Russ Tank in heavy urban combat Thunderer Siege Tank 3.png|Thunderer Siege Tank of the Armageddon Steel Legion ThundererSiegeTank0000.png|A Thunderer Siege Tank of the Necromundan 8th Regiment during the Orphean War Category:T Category:Tanks Category:Imperial Guard Category:Imperial Vehicles Category:Imperial Tanks Category:Imperium Category:Vehicles